the sun and the moon
by soupersoup
Summary: And as Nishimiya's soft, hintedly pink hair blows in the wind, this exact moment is how he wants to remember the bridge the most.
1. Prologue

_Once upon a time, the sun and the moon were very different people. The sun was bright, full of optimism. And the moon was quiet and serene, beautiful in its own way. It was said that there were no fitter soulmates than the sun and the moon, and no love so purer._

_But not everyone could see this love. They fought and yelled saying that the moon was hogging the warmth of the sun, leaving their flowers to wither and die, and leaving them in the cold. Others argued saying that it was the sun hogging over the light of the moon, and leaving them lost in the darkness. And as they argued, they came to a conclusion. That the sun and the moon were both at fault. So as a punishment, they were both cast into the sky._

_The sun would shine throughout the day, and the moon throughout the night. And if the sun should rise, then the moon should set. They were left to only crave one another, never being able to see. But their love, so strong, couldn't be broken so easily. _

_Sometimes, it's said, that the moon would sneak out in the morning just to see the sun shine. And rarely, so rarely they would meet as an eclipse. But every night, the sun would die to let the moon live. And every morning, the moon would die to let the sun shine. _

_So with every passing day, you can see how the sun loved the moon, and how the moon loved back._


	2. Dusk

This part of the day had started to become embedded in their schedule.

This part of the day had also silently become their favourite.

The last rays of the setting sun leave the bronze sky with wisps of dark purple, shrouding the earth with a sense of tranquility. The afternoon's unsparing warmth envelope the two figures at the bridge. The scene is the same as it always is, Ishida holding half a fresh baked bread while they feed the carp again. Nishimiya's portion is over, so she stands with her arms folded on the railing, and her head placed softly in between. When Ishida takes notice, concern begins to slowly gnaw at the back of his mind but the clear, bright smile on her face is enough a reassurement. The excitement and bustle of the school festival has died down, and only fragments of its life and colour exist as confetti still tangled in their hair and on their uniforms. But unlike the loudness of the fest, it was these quiet moments they could both appreciate. How they now began to find comfort in their silences. Ishida, as a small wave of relief washes over him, resumes tearing at the bread.

" _Say, the school's festival was much livier than the year before, wasn't it?" _Ishida speaks over his signs after he catches her attention. His fingers and hands were much smoother now in movement. Nishimiya gleefully agrees, but there is a difference hiding in their agreements. While they both gained friends over the year, the year before for Ishida can be described as a monochromatic. He remembers aimlessly sitting in one of the decorated classrooms, groups of students in different corners. And when everything felt too suffocated, he would retreat to the bathroom and wait in the stall till the rush of his blood settled. Then, he really didn't know where he should be. Every class, every room, every space never felt right. But this year, with all the people he's been with, he felt like it wasn't wrong. Direct eye contact with other people was still a work in progress, but it was definitely different than last year.

And he owes it all to Nishimiya.

"_Ueno called me a moron, in sign language." _Nishimiya still has a faint smile on her face, but it has turned reminiscent. " _I'll teach her more words tomorrow." _

Ishida huffs inaudibly in amusement. He throws another piece of bread in for the carp. The bridge had soaked in many memories of theirs. It still brings back the feeling of his body crashing into the water, it's coolness surrounding his frame as a slither of crimson is the last thing he remembers. It still brings back the time they both sat there, Nishimiya crying and him holding her hands softly.

This moment, with the warmth of the sun, the fresh smell of the air as it breezes through the cherry blossoms mixed in with the smell of the crisp baked bread, the sky a mixture of amber and purple, they watch the koi slither in the water, past their reflections. And as Nishimiya's soft, hintedly pink hair blows in the wind, this _exact _moment is how he wants to remember the bridge the most.

It's past ten in the morning. Ishida stares at his frizzled appearance, his hair pointing at different angles and his eyes droop, still desperate to sleep. The weather had not been so kind in the earliest of mornings, hence he found himself to be in bed most of the time. He brushes his teeth - one swipe across and then a brief snooze until he finds the strength to open his eyes. Once he, somehow, freshens himself he heads to the table finding a sunny side up already placed for him. Maria had been playing with an empty water can at the table. She gleefully greets him.

"How's the beauty sleep?" A voice comes up from behind. He swirls quickly to find two beady blue eyes staring up at him, and Yuzuru faintly smiles at his appearance.

"Morning, Yuzuru," Ishida greets through a stifled yawn.

"You're lucky it's still morning," she says, her arms folded. "You're supposed to help me study today, remember?"

Ishida's face is stuck for a moment, trying to remember. He slaps his forehead when he finally does. "Oh, crap! I'm sorry! I forgot that was today! Geometry, was it?"

Yuzuru frowns. "Only the worst."

Ishida laughs and softly speaks. "It's not all that bad, really."

"Seriously?" The young girl raises a dubious brow to which he gives an affirmative nod. It had come to the point where Yuzuru and Nishimiya could come and go as they please at Ishida's residence, which in all honesty, was something he wish would never stop.

_I want you to help me live. _

It comes in flashes, here and then. Flashes of memories of that incident. What he said to her at the bridge, how _badly _he meant it. Sometimes he feels the ghost of the water on his skin. But the worst are the fireworks. He's still hasn't come around to being comfortable around them ever since then. Sometimes, when he closes his eyes for even a second she's there, in her kimono with her hair blowing to the side - the fireworks stark against the night sky. He can relive the exact moment when his heart dropped and trepidation clenched his throat. It instills a fear in him he can't describe.

The voice is small and feeble. "Crap."

Yuzuru and Ishida slowly turn their heads downwards to the source of the sound. Tiny Maria stands by the sink on her tiptoes, stretching the water can as far as she can with the tip of her fingers to at least _reach _the counter. The water can eventually slips and clatters onto the floor, and they all look down at it for a moment. Maria inhales, then exhales.

"Crap!"

His mother and sister will kill him.

"M-Maria! You're not supposed to say that word!"

And in between Ishida panicking, Yuzuru unable to control herself from laughter and Maria saying 'crap' gleefully and periodically, Ishida quickly picks up the water can and fills it almost to the brim and hands it to the all too ecstatic child. He puts a finger to his lips motioning her to shush, and a tired smile creeps on his lips.

"See? There, it's filled. You don't have to use that word anymore now." The child frowns at that for a moment and looks at Yuzuru for confirmation. The fifteen year old quickly blows her cheeks to stifle a laugh and attempts to seriously nod her head in agreement. Maria is quick to understand and asks to be picked up. Ishida lets her wrap her arms around his neck, the water can behind him. It's one of the things Ishida admires in her, despite the fact that he loves her to death, is that Maria is bold and outgoing as she is sensitive and understanding. Her leg now hits his side for attention.

"Oh. Where to, ma'am?" He says playfully.

"Garden!" She squeals.

"Yuzuru, could you set up in my room? We'll start in a while."

The house is quiet. Not an eerie or unusual quiet, but peaceful one. Yuzuru is on her bed, her knee propped up to support her chin as she goes through the pictures she'd clicked. It is comforting to see the scarcity of stills of dead animals in the gallery. The first one she had taken was a rat sprawled on the road, the blood staining the gravel. She put it up on the wall, not wanting to show it to her sister directly - only on its passing. Shouko's eyes locked onto it when she first glanced at it the day later. Yuzuru's head rose up to watch her sister carefully, hoping for gasp, a question or even maybe the slightest frown or sense of morbidity. Shouko turned, expressionless and softly closed the door to her room once inside.

The wall is now filled with other photographs. There's one of Ishida and Shouko at the bridge, then one of Yuzuru, Ishida and Nagatsuka, then of Maria, some scenic photos and then more of their friends. It radiates a feeling of comfort, and maybe this was what her sister really needed. Not pictures to remind her of inevitable death and how horrible it is, but how warm life could be and to crave to live it. Her sister is now shopping somewhere with Sahara and Kawai. Yuzuru eye's while darting around the room fall upon the stack of books on her table. She sighs. She should really catch up.

Ishida has been getting up late on the weekends. Maybe it was the foreboding cold of winter, or maybe because Shouko had been getting up late too. Yuzuru could hear the sound of her sister's phone, and knew it could be none other than Ishida she was texting. True, it's bad for both of them. But when she would hear the giggles of her sister, maybe getting up late was worth it.

The laughter was hard to hold back. Seeing Ishida panic, while Maria only added to his misery. Now in his room, she taps the end of her pencil on her book as she glares at the problem in front of her and almost too quickly sighs in defeat. She slumps her shoulders, and behind to aimlessly look around the room - anywhere but back at the book. Ishida's room is less emptier than it used to be. There's a craft work with a splendor of color that adorns his wall. Yuzuru remembers Kawai's rambles of embarrassment of how it turned out. Pictures that she's clicked of them and others compliment it alongside.

In the corner, kept carefully aside, is a calendar. She furrows her brows at the red cross' on each day and at how thin it looked. Flicking through, she registers the fact that only four months are present and the rest are ripped out.

The fifteenth of April, inked 'Final Day', was crossed off.


	3. Dawn

Ishida absentmindedly taps his index on the soda can, his gaze locked at the scene from the window. The only sounds in his room is the faint scribbling of graphite on paper as Yuzuru focuses on a math problem, and the ticking of the clock. Ishida incessantly continues tapping his finger softly on the can, feeling the vibrations at the other end. And while he does so, he closes his eyes. He taps. The image of muted fireworks against the blanket of night is the first to enter his mind. A tap. Then her hair blowing in the wind. Another tap. The curtain lifts and falls, the balcony is empty.

His eyes shoot open, unbeknownst that the third tap has almost dented the can and earns a concerned glance from Yuzuru. He lets out an internal sigh, and for some reason

finds himself closing his eyes again.

The image of muted fireworks against the blanket of night - _No, think of something else. _The next image to come is that of Nishimiya excited at the amusement park, her soft hair blowing in the wind. Just as it blew on that night on- _No, no no. Anything else. _

He tries for a final time.

The scene that enters his mind is a peaceful one. It's of Nishimiya, but in a much calming situation. She's leaning, almost hunching over the railing, her soft hands against the wood and with a strange smile adorning her face. Her head sways softly, a splendour of confetti colour entangled in her hair. And when she looks at him, he can feel his breath caught in his throat.

_What was this feeling inside his stomach?_

"She's pretty, isn't she?" says a voice.

"Yeah. Yeah, she is."

He stops. Dread crawls up his spine, and he shoots his eyes open. Yuzuru sits, a mischievous smile on her face. Her head rests on the palm of her hands as she looks at him suggestively.

"I-I mean... I didn't mean it like that, it's j-just-,"

"Save it, Ishida. It's become pretty obvious," she says.

He pauses for a while, embarrassed. Looking down he asks, "Has it?"

Yuzuru's head gestures towards the pictures adorning the wall, of him and hers specifically. "When I clicked that picture of you, I could already feel the chemistry you guys had. Looking at the picture now, it just feels more."

There's an uneasy pause in the room, until he speaks. "I don't know how to tell her."

"Why not at Kawai's birthday tomorrow?"

Ishida's head shoots up. "What?! T-That's tomorrow!"

Yuzuru blinks. "That's what I said."

"No, I can't. I can't. It's too soon."

"If you keep wondering of ways to tell her, you'll never end up telling her," Yuzuru says maturely. "It's been long enough, don't you think?"

The tiny girl in his room yawns, stretching her arms then putting them behind her. He knew she was right. If he keeps thinking and delaying like this. But it's not something he can help either.

"By the way," Yuzuru speaks up. "We found some books for Maria. Sis and I used to read them when we were small, but now they've been catching dust. They're under the notebook."

Ishida lifts the book scribbled with semi-circles and trapezoids, finding three small colourful books. One is valender in color with the words 'The Velveteen Rabbit'; the other peach "Momotaro", and one that caught his eye due to its worn exterior - a fading blue hardcover with the words engraved in white. 'The Sun and The Moon'.

Ishida flips through the latter, and stacks them neatly paying his thanks. He later pulls the notebook, scribbled with trapezoids and semi-circles and reads intently.

"You're answer is wrong."

"What?!"

It is Kawai's birthday. Ishida can admit that he's not the greatest at gifts, but he thinks he's gotten a pretty decent present for her. It's a multicolored scarf, because he remembers Kawai grieving for the winter one she'd lost. So for the first time in a lot of birthdays, he's a little proud of himself. Not in the way he's wrapped it though, but the thought itself.

The poorly wrapped gift peeks from the gift bag as Ishida rings the doorbell. He can hear a few footsteps from the other end, first fading then approaching. The door swings open to reveal Mashiba who upon seeing him urges him in.

It turns out that Ishida is just on time to surprise Kawai, setting his gift along with the pile of others and helping Mashiba with finishing touches. Ishida blows the last of the balloons to adorn them on the wall while having quick chats with the others.

Everybody hushes one another when the time comes. The lights switch off, the keys rattle from outside. And when the lights turn back on, everybody yells and Kawai almost screams. Everyone sings happy birthday and Ishida can see Nishimiya very contently swaying her head and clapping along. The entire song mutes to a soft blurred tune while he stares at her. The light brown hair with a tint of pink falling gracefully on her shoulders. Her claps as her hands collide against the other and he wonders how soft her skin must feel.

The song ends and he's brought back into the room. He huffs internally, embarrassed at himself. Why was he thinking about her _hands?_

The rest of the party goes more than smoothly. It was a long time since he'd laughed. Nagatsuka is doing something childishly humorous in the kitchen while all of them gathered for the cake. It is also relieving since most of the conversations he has goes pretty smoothly. Even the one with Ueno.

They're all talking next. Kawai sits comfortably yet with good posture on the couch- her back straight, hands folded and resting on her legs. Mashiba sits beneath her with his back to the couch and one knee propped up. Ueno, as usual lies beside her carelessly. Nagatsuka is dozing off in the couch adjacent to him, while Yuzuru who sits on the ground keeps giving Ishida suggestive glances. Nishmiya is sitting close beside him, and he can feel the sweat dripping down his neck. They're laughing, talking, exchanging stories but Ishida can barely hear them. He's trying to figure out what to say to Nishimiya.

An argument is created by Mashiba and Ueno, which wakes Nagatsuka who later joins is as well, and an opportunity is created for Ishida. He swallows the lump he didn't know was forming in his throat, and goes to tap Nishmiya's shoulder but she initiates first. Nishmiya puts her hand on his and smiles, asking if he wants to visit the bridge before going home. Ishida blinks and agrees and before they leave, waving goodbye to the group he could feel Ueno glancing at them - pretending to not give a care.

Yuzuru is quick to understand the situation and generates a clever excuse. Now they're at the bridge again, staring at the reflection of the moon in the still water. Nishimiya has the same position as before, her head resting on the railing. He begins to speak but she interjects.

" _It was nice, wasn't it?" _She signs to him. " _Kawai was so happy."_

"Yeah, it was good."

" _You should've seen her face a minute before she entered. She had no clue."_

They laugh quietly and then silence befalls on them, and this time it is not comforting. Ishida dreads for what is about to happen and he contemplates if he should even open his mouth.

"_It feels… a bit weird, doesn't it? This bridge at night. To think of all the things that happened here_," she signs, and her eyes are enough an indication to her emotions. "_To think of all the things that we could've avoided."_

They don't say anything.

"_I can't understand why you weren't angry with me, or why you're still not. If it were me, I don't think I would know how to look at them again." _

He sees a tear escape her eye, a faint trace of a strange smile on her lips. No, it isn't strange, he realizes. But sad.

For a minute, he stands confused. He doesn't even know how to say that before her, he would've taken an empty opportunity to jump from the balcony. Hell, there's been countless times he's stood at the edge of the rail and peered down into the dark water with a horrible, gnawing numbness in his soul; his eyes void of anything. He doesn't know how to tell her that after her, he barely looked down at all.

"Nishimiya…"

She wipes her tears with her sleeve quickly, as if to erase the evidence. There is something newfound in her that he admires. Her defiance has grown abruptly stronger then before.

"If I hadn't crashed into the water that night...," he starts to sign, a small part of him in disbelief of himself. For whatever came out his mouth next is barely what he had rehearsed countless times in his head. "... then you… you wouldn't be here. And if you weren't here, then I wouldn't be either. I asked you to help me live, but actually… everyday when we wave at each other, everyday when we're at school, and after when we feed the koi. I realized that you _make me _want to live. And... how can I be mad at that?"

As the last word escapes his lips, it feels as if a bucket full of embarrassment is poured over him. He breaks away from her gaze, looking away and cursing himself under his breath for being so idiotically cheesy. He mumbles to himself that he shouldn't have spoken at all.

But then he exhales deeply, still looking away from her because he doesn't want to know what consequence his words would have. He speaks over his signs.

"I... I like you… a lot."

He shuts his eyes for a moment, clenching his fists together and slowly turns to her. New tears streaming down her face is not what he expects when he pops his eyes open. Nishmiya is only staring at him with what he thinks to be shock as she silently cries. It seems like forever before she signs back.

" _I like you too…" _Her hands waver for a minute. "... _a lot."_

Ishida can't react, his body freezes as a funny feeling takes a hold of his stomach. Nishimiya comes closer till their faces are barely inches away and they can feel each other's breath prickling their skin. And he realises she smells as fresh as strawberries on a winter morning. She stands on the tips of her toes and presses her lips against his. It feels like fireworks inside him, and her lips were just as soft as he thought they would be.

After they pull back, a silence fills the space between them. First they smile at each other, huge idiotic grins on their faces which later transcends into laughter. His hands then find hers, their fingers interlacing with one another while they gaze at the other before another kiss. This one is longer and much softer. They break away again, and Ishida feels as if being lost in the sea of her eyes is worth everything.

" _Su..ki.." _Nishimiya manages to utter while she looks at the sky, remembering how the first confession went. Ishida turns his head upward, and smiles softly.

"Yeah, it is pretty."

As the koi slither in the water below them, masked by the reflection of the night, the pair now lean against the railing with her hands still intertwined. Ishida relaxes in the fact that now when he closes his eyes, a new scene of Nishimiya enters his mind. A joyful, happy memory as colorful as confetti. Nishimiya edges closer to him, slowly resting her head upon his shoulder and he gently tightens his grip on her hand.

They didn't know how long they stood, but it feels like they could've stayed there forever. Even till the moon dies for the sun.

* * *

**Notes:** I made this is one sitting, so I'm sorry if this seems hurried or has any mistakes. Feel free to point them out, and please let me know if you like it! :D

If you see another story with the same title, yes that's mine. I had an issue with trying to delete it anndd it didn't really work. So I'm just posting it all over again.


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